Widened knitted fabric and in the production thereof



Dec. 22, 1942. J. P, LUDWIG 2,305,88555l WIDENED KNI'ITED FABRIC AND IN THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Jan. 17, 1941 5 sheets-sheet 2 Flag- ,0

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Dec. 22, 1942. v J, P, LUDWIG l 2,305,885

WIDENED KNITTED FABRIC AND IN THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Jan. l7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet. 3

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Dec. z2, 1942. J. P. LUDWIG I 2,305,885

WIDENED KNITTED FABRIC AND IN THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Jan. 1'?, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y (L D/l FIG" 8 @KN o o o o o o o o o @E www@ QM@ O u' N A @/HW @l /N'A AV @UQ/@GWW n www f www V@ A uw@ l Wl-TNESSES.- )N1/ENTOR- BY Jammefauuzummg 'l A ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 22, 1942. J. P. LUDWIG 2,305,885

WIDNED KNITTED FABRIC AND IN THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Jan. 17, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Flai 10 INVENTOR.-

Johannes PauZLudwzg, BY VATTORNEY \N,. o mi@ X @WWWWW/ @MWK/WWWUQC /UM /v U/M/UMV/V/.U/ /U/ v @OO VUV/Www www@ @GWCOQ/GOO @w mwwmmwwwnbw \M%ANMWU\M @ANNUO/WM OwwVU/Vwwy @C www@ @L/w/W@ WMO @KK n uk/@n Wmnwnmmmmk W/J Ri VQ HOO /Q x my@ 923mm" i atented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED s WIDENED KNITTED FABRIC AND IN THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Johannes Paul Ludwig,-Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Phoenix Hosiery Company, Milwaukee,` Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 17, 1941, Serial No. 374,825

15 Claims.

the production of fiat blanks of continuously knit stockings of the type wherein the upper portions of heels are shaped by widening, and wherein the selvages must be capable of withstanding manipulation in sewing machines without undergoing ravelling incident to being seamed together to complete the stockings.

In the attached drawings, Fig. 1 is a broken out view showing a at continuously-knit flat fashioned stocking blank with widened upper heel portions conveniently embodying my invention.

Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, are diagrammatic views showing successive steps in the formation of the widened heel portions of the blank.

Fig. 8 is a View corresponding to Fig. 'I but showing the actual appearance of the selvages in the finished blank.

Figs. 9, l0 and ll, are views in turn like Fig. 8, showing alternative forms of my invention.

In Fig. l it is to'be understood that the stocking blank is knitted as a continuous or one piece structure in the direction of the arrow, starting at the welt W and ending with the toe tip T. The leg L may be shaped as ordinarily by narrowing down to a uniform width ankle portion A. Beginning at the course I2, I2, the upper halves of the heel portions H are shaped by widening with incidental formation of selvages at S, S, in accordance with my invention. After the widening has been carried out to the desired extent, the width of the fabric is maintained uniform for a few courses as shown, whereupon the lower halves of the heel portion are shaped by narrowing, the latter step being followed by completion of the remainder of the foot F in any approved manner. After the more or less usual practice, the foot of the stocking blank may be reinforced in the area which is line-shadedin Fig. i.

Reference will now be had to Figs. iL-8 which show how the widened heel portions H of the stocking of Fig. 1 are formed by my improved method, and wherein the needles of a fiat producing machine (which may be of the well known Cotton type) are designated by the letter'N,

one of the yarn carriers by the letter C, and the left and right hand groups of transfer points by the characters P and P1.

In Fig. 2, after knitting of the course I2, I2, a succeeding widened course I3, I3 is formed by traverse of the yarn carrier C to the right with an increase in its movement to supply yarn to two additional end needles. Thereupon the carrier C is moved to the left as shown in Fig. 3 to form a second widened course I4, III with addition of two end loops at the opposite edge of the fabric. With this accomplished, the points P, P1 are brought into operation as in Fig. 3 to simultaneously engage the added loops at each edge of the fabric, and to transfer said loops inwardly, respectively as in Fig. 4, to the next adjacent, needles. This is followed by the formation of two courses I5, I5 and I6, I 6 without increase in the traverse of the carn'er C as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to complete the widening cycle which is again initiated in Fig. 7 and continuously repeated until the desired shaping of the upper heel portions of the stocking blank is attained. It will of course be understood that since the loops at X and Y in Fig. 7 are left unsupported upon retraction of the sinkers (not illustrated) of the machine, they will be drawn out by the action of the fabric take-up and assume the form shown at X1, Y1 in Fig. 8. Notwithstanding this, however, it will be seen that said loops are effectively locked against ravelling.

The modified fabric shown in Fig. 9 is made in the same way as described above except in that the widening is carried out every three courses instead of every four courses.

The alternative form of fabric featured in Fig. l0 is also like that of Fig. 8 with the dierence that the widening occurs in every second course.

Fig. 11 shows still another modification in which only the inner of the two added loops in each widened course is transferred inward and doubled with the next adjacent loop in such course as at X2. While in Fig. 1l the widening occurs every fourth course as in Figs. `'1, .the rate or frequency may be varied as in the fabrics of Figs. 9 and l0.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. Knitted fabric characterized by having, at intervals of its length, widened courses with added end loops, and by having individual added loops in such courses doubled with individual inwardly adjacent loops in said courses.

2..Knitted fabric characterized by having, at interv als of its length, widened courses with plural added end loops, and by having individual added plural added end loops, and by having one of the added end loops in each course doubled with an inwardly-adjacent loop in said course.

4. Knitted fabric in the form of a flat fashioned 4stocking blank characterized by having widened upper heel portions with courses at intervals of their lengths containing added end loops, and by having individual added end loops in such courses doubled with individual inwardly adjacent loops in said courses.

5. Knitted fabric in the form of a flat fashioned stocking blank characterized by having widened upper heel portions with courses at intervals of their lengths containing plural added end loops, and by having individual added end loops in such courses doubled with individual inwardly adjacent loops in said courses.

6. Knitted fabric in the form of a at fashioned stocking blank characterized by having widened upper heel portions With courses at intervals of their lengths containing plural added end loops, and by having one of the added end loops in each course doubled with an inwardly adjacent loop in said course.

7. The method of producing widened knitted fabric which comprises adding loops to the ends of certain courses periodically during the knitting; and inwardly transferring individual added loops in suchv courses and doubling them with individual adjacent loops in said courses before knitting the immediately succeeding courses.

8. The method of producing widened knitted fabric which comprises adding plural loops to the ends of certain courses periodically during the knitting; and inwardly transferring certain individual added loops in said courses and doubling asoaeac them respectively with individual adjacent loops in such courses before knitting the immediately succeeding courses.

91 The method of producing widened knitted fabric which comprises adding plural loops to the ends of certain courses periodically during the knitting; and inwardly transferring one of the added loops in each course and doubling it with an adjacent loop in said course before knitting a succeeding course.

10. Knitted fabric characterizedby having at intervals of itslength, widened courses with added end loops, and by having individual added end loops in such courses doubled with laterally adjacent individual loops of the fabric.

11. Knitted fabric characterized by having at intervals of its length, widened courses with plural added end loops, and by having 'individual added end loops in such courses doubled respectively with individual laterally adjacent loops of the fabric.

12. A fiat knitted stocking blank having widened upper heel portions characterized as in claim 10. 3'

13. A flat knitted stocking blank having widened upper heel portions characterized as in claim 11.

14. The method of producing widened knitted fabric by adding plural loops to the ends of certain courses, and laterally transferring individual added loops in such courses and doubling them with individual laterally adjacent loops of the fabric. l

l5. The method of producing widened knitted fabric by adding plural loops to the ends of certain courses, and laterally transferring individual added loops in such courses inwardly and doubling them with individual laterally adjacent I loops of the fabric.

JOHANNES PAUL LUDWIG. 

